Universal bicycle rack using a seat post clamp

ABSTRACT

A bicycle rack holds the bicycle by its seat post using a closeable claw. The bicycle is also held by its wheels.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/097,514, filed Aug. 21, 1998.

FIELD OF INVENTION

[0002] The present disclosure describes a universal bike rack that universally holds all different kinds of bicycles. More specifically, the present disclosure teaches a bike rack that clamps the bicycle by holding the bicycle seat post and wheels.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Bicycle racks which attach to the rear of a vehicle are known. One such system, which attaches to a trailer hitch, is described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,529,231. This system mounts to the trailer hitch of the automobile and allows carrying the bicycle.

[0004] Most of these bike racks are either hitch-mounted or strapped on using either a support beam or support arms. The bike rack, more generally, is held by a holding object, e.g., car, truck, etc.

[0005] The tubes forming the bicycle frame typically rests on the arms of the rack.

[0006] The carriers work well with traditional bicycle frames. However some new bikes, often called “full suspension” bikes, may not have the same main tubes that are held by other bikes. Some bikes may have no frames at all. Certain bikes also have non-removable front wheels.

[0007] Convention bicycle carriers do not work well with bicycles that have non-traditional frames.

SUMMARY

[0008] The present system defines a carrier that does not rely on traditional bike frames and instead holds the bicycle by common elements that are common to all bicycles including non-frame bicycles.

[0009] According to this aspect, the inventor realized that one of the predictable consistent points on virtually all bicycles includes its seat post. Although the post diameter and angle may vary, it is generally round and its location in relation to the bicycle's overall geometry is consistent.

[0010] Another consistent point is the bicycle wheels—all bicycles must have wheels. Hence, a preferred aspect of this disclosure uses the bicycle seat post and wheels to hold the bicycle on the carrier.

[0011] Another aspect of this system is a special seat holding element which articulates to allow connection to any seat post element.

[0012] Yet another aspect is the use of a seat post holding element which can telescope in a special way.

[0013] Yet another aspect is that the seat holding tube folds down in a way that allows it to be moved out of the way without hitting the vehicle on which it is mounted.

[0014] The foldable system allows the device to fold down when not in use to allow the user access to the trunk or hatchback, when desired. The overall preferred embodiment includes an attachment to a vehicle. That attachment can be by a receiver hitch or by attachment straps.

[0015] Yet another aspect is the special wheel rail that is used in this system.

[0016] The disclosed embodiment secures the bicycle to the carrier using at least one of the bicycle wheels and the bicycle seat post.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] These and other aspects of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, in which:

[0018]FIG. 1 shows a first view of a preferred bike rack;

[0019]FIG. 2 shows another view of the bike rack, with the wheel portion attached;

[0020]FIG. 2A shows a cross section of the wheel rack; and

[0021]FIG. 3 shows detail of the articulated seat post holder.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0022] The basic bike rack without certain portions is shown in FIG. 1, and the assembled bicycle rack is shown in FIG. 2. The preferred embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a trailer hitch mount portion 102 which is adapted to insert into the trailer hitch of an automobile or truck or the like. Any other attachment to the vehicle is possible, preferably attachment to the rear of the vehicle. The automobile attachment portion 102 is connected an upward extending element 104, which itself is connected to a support bracket 106. Support bracket 106 supports the main transverse support beam 108, which is substantially parallel to the hitch mount 102, but spaced upward therefrom.

[0023] The main support beam 108 supports the bike mount devices 110, 112, 114, 116, each of which are identical. Seat mount assembly 120 is shown mounted on support 116.

[0024] Seat mount support beam 122 is screwed into bike mount device 116 using screws 124, 125, near one end 122. The other end 128 includes a tightenable clamp 130 which allows selectively tightening and loosening pressure between the clamp's first surface 134 and its second surface 138. Second surface 138 includes an inner surface 140 which substantially of the same shape as the outer surface of an upwardly extending part 142. Similarly, a fixed portion 144, 146 of the clamp is attached to the transverse support beam 122, and includes inner surfaces 147 that are substantially the same shape as the outer surface of upwardly extending part 142.

[0025] In operation, the clamp 130 can be tightened and loosened. When tightened, the clamp is in the position shown in FIG. 1. The upwardly extending portion 142 is rigidly held between the parts 138, 144 and 146 with the two fixed pieces 144, 146 on one side of the upward extending portion 142, and the movable portion 138 on the other side. Hence, the part 142 cannot move.

[0026] The clamp 130 can be loosened to allow the piece 138 to be retracted from the fixed surfaces 144, 146. When moved sufficiently far away, the part 142 can be similarly moved away and can move beyond the outer edge surfaces 148 of the fixed portions 142, 144 of the clamp. This allows the upwardly extending device 142 to move to a position where it can fold down to a position where it is parallel and coplanar with the seat mount support beam 122. In this folded down and out of the way position, the clamp will not interfere with access to the rear of the vehicle, such as the hatchback or other part. The part 142 preferably includes a hollow piece 143 with a second upwardly extending piece 150 located inside the hollow piece 143.

[0027] The overall height where the seat clamp 160 is located can be adjusted by changing the amount of inner piece 150 which extends from the outer piece 143. The height of the seat clamp 160 can be extended and raised or lowered in this way to accommodate any height of bicycle. Moreover, since the overall height changes, the length of the part 142 is actually changed. This leaves less of the part 142 that could otherwise be inconveniently located.

[0028] A clamping mechanism 152 in this embodiment simply includes a screw which is screwed into the outer piece 143 and provides friction against the inner piece 150.

[0029] A more preferable system uses a clamp which attaches to both the pieces 143 and 150. However, any clamp which holds piece 150 relative to piece 143 can be used to adjust this height.

[0030] The seat clamp is shown in further exploded detail in FIG. 3. Seat clamp can be made to hold any part of the bicycle seat. Here, the seat clamp holds the seat post.

[0031] The clamp includes first and second clamping jaws 162 and 164 which can be extended and contracted to hold the seat post. In the open position shown in FIG. 1, the two jaws 162, 164 are wide open, and the bicycle seat post can be extended between the two jaws. Note that inner surfaces 165 of each of the jaws 162, 164 are substantially arcuate to hold a typical bicycle seat post. Each inner surface also includes a notched portion 156 facilitating holding a seat post which is other than cylindrical in shape.

[0032] Once the seat post is inserted between the jaws 162, 164, the jaws are contracted to bring the surfaces 165 closer to one another. The jaws are contracted until inner surfaces 165 fit snugly around the seat post.

[0033] The preferred technique of contracting the jaws is by using an over-the-center cam lever 170 as shown. The over-the-center cam lever includes a cam handle 300 connected to a lead screw 304, a spring 306 and nut assembly 308. The lead screw 304 threads into the nut assembly 308. Hence, when the cam handle 302 is rotated in a rotation perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 3, it causes the jaws 162, 164 to come closer to one another. When they reach a desired position, the cam is then rotated in the direction of arrow 310 to put even further force holding the jaws 162, 164 against one another. The clamp stays locked in that rotated position until it is unlocked by rotating in opposite of the direction shown in arrow 310.

[0034] The position of the seat post clamp can also be adjusted in many different ways. A clamping mechanism 180 holds the seat post clamp in a desired orientation relative to horizontal. While the device in FIG. 1 shows the seat post clamp 160 as being horizontal, it can be tilted relative to the horizontal by clamp 180.

[0035] The height of the clamp can also be adjusted, as previously described, by adjusting the relative difference between the pieces 143 and 150.

[0036] In operation, the bicycle seat post is clamped within the jaws 162, 164. This holds the top portion of the bicycle. The bottom portion of the bicycle is held by the wheel holding assembly 200.

[0037] Wheel holding assembly is screwed into the support mechanism 110. The wheel holding assembly is held on disc shaped portion 202 which are located at the top of a screwable device 204. The device 204 can be tightened or loosened to allow more slack between the top surface 111 of holding element 110 and the disc shaped portion 202.

[0038] The outer diameter of disk shaped portion 202 fits within the holding channel 206. FIG. 2A shows a cross-section across the line 2A-2 as having that holding channel 206 is substantially u-shaped. The disk shaped element 202 is held within the channel 206, with the bottom surface 250 of disk shaped element being pressed against both flange portions 252 and 254 of the channel 206. The clamp portion 204 with its integral lead screw 256 are also shown. The clamp 204 can be tightened in order to hold the wheel tray 200 firmly into place relative to the support portion 110. However, when the clamps 204 and 205 are loosened, the corresponding disk shaped portions becomes loose within the channel 206. This allows the wheel rack 200 to be slid in the direction shown by arrow 210 in FIG. 2. Hence, while the orientation of the wheel rack is maintained, the position of the wheel rack can be changed to accommodate any relative positioning between the bicycle seat post and the wheel rack.

[0039] Note that the additional two support structures 112, 114 enable placing a second bike rack holding device on the same basic support structure 108. This allows using a second seat post holding assembly for example on support element 114, and a second wheel rack holding assembly 200 e.g. on support rack 112. Any additional number of support devices could also be accommodated.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 2, the wheel tray 200 generally includes an inner wheel resting part 220 which is substantially flat, sloped sections 222, both extending up from the wheel resting portion 222 and the flanged outer edge 224. The bottom portion of the wheel resting portion includes the channel 206 which has been previously discussed.

[0041] Although only a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other embodiments are contemplated by the inventor and are intended to be encompassed within the following claims. In addition, other modifications are contemplated and are also intended to be covered. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A bicycle rack, comprising: a first part that holds a portion of a seat of the bicycle; and a second part, that connects to an holding object that will transport the first part.
 2. A bicycle rack as in claim 1 further comprising a wheel holding portion, wherein said bicycle is held by both said seat part and said wheel holding portion.
 3. A bicycle rack as in claim 1 wherein said second portion is a trailer hitch mount that fits into a trailer hitch of a vehicle.
 4. A bicycle rack as in claim 1 further comprising a main support beam, coupled to said second part, said main support beam having attached thereto the first part, and the wheel portion.
 5. A bicycle rack as in claim 4 wherein said main support portion includes a plurality of attachment portions, and each attachment portion enabling connection of either a first part or a wheel holding part.
 6. A bicycle rack as in claim 1 wherein said first part holds a seat post of the bicycle.
 7. A bicycle rack as in claim 6 wherein said first part includes closable jaws, having a first jaw part and a second jaw part which can be moved relative to one another.
 8. A bicycle rack as in claim 6 wherein said first part comprises articulation means, enabling moving an orientation and position of the seat post holding element.
 9. A bicycle rack as in claim 1 wherein said first part comprises a telescoping arm.
 10. A bicycle rack as in claim 9 wherein said telescoping part changes in overall height when it moves.
 11. A bicycle rack as in claim 4 further comprising a transverse support, extending at an angle to said main support beam.
 12. A bicycle rack as in claim 11 further comprising an upwardly extending element, holding said seat clamp portion, and foldable between a first position in which the seat can be held and a second position in which the device is folded out of the way.
 13. A bicycle rack as in claim 12 wherein the folding is carried out by a tightenable clamp, the clamp having a fixed portion and a movable portion.
 14. A bicycle rack apparatus for connection to a vehicle, comprising: a first part for connecting to the vehicle; and a first bicycle holding part, having a portion for holding an upper portion of the bicycle, said first bicycle holding portion foldable between a first position where it is stowed out of the way and a second position where it can hold the upper part of the bicycle.
 15. An apparatus as in claim 14 further comprising a wheel holding portion.
 16. An apparatus as in claim 15 wherein the bicycle holding portion holds a portion of the seat of the bicycle.
 17. A bicycle rack, comprising: a first part for attachment to a vehicle; a second part which holds a portion of the bicycle, and a third, wheel holding part, which holds wheels of the bicycle, said wheel holding part adjustable relative to the bicycle rack frame to be moved in a direction perpendicular thereto.
 18. A rack as in claim 17 wherein said wheel holding portion comprises a channel, which attaches to a frame of the bike rack, and which allows sliding relative to the bike rack when loosened.
 19. A bicycle rack, comprising: a first part which holds a portion of the seat of a bicycle, and a second part which holds a wheel of a bicycle.
 20. A rack as in claim 19 wherein said second part has an inner wheel resting part that is substantially flat, sloped sections extending from the wheel resting portion, and a flanged outer edge on a top portion, and a connection channel, extending along substantially an entire length of the bottom portion.
 21. A rack as in claim 19 further comprising a bike rack frame, and a connection between the wheel holding portion and the bike rack frame which allows the wheel holding portion to be moved in position while its orientation is maintained.
 22. A rack as in claim 19 wherein the first part includes means for adjusting a position of holding of the element. 